Pepper grinder

ABSTRACT

A pepper grinder has a grinding assembly including an inner grinding member and an outer grinding member turnable relative to each other to grind pepper in between. The outer grinding member is secured in a lower housing member by means of a lower securing ring connected to the outer grinding member; the securing ring has saw teeth projecting from an upper edge, and is pressed into the lower housing for the pointed ends of the saw teeth to be inserted into the inner side of the lower housing such that the outer grinding member can&#39;t turn relative to the lower housing. The inner grinding member is also secured to an upper housing by a securing ring of the kind. Thus, the inner grinding member can turn relative to the outer one when the upper housing is turned relative to the lower housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Pepper is a main seasoning in dining. Peppercorns are theoriginal form of pepper, and have to be crushed into small pieces beforethey are provided on the dining table.

[0002] Many kinds of pepper grinders have been devised to crushpeppercorns into small pieces. Referring to FIG. 5, one of theconventional pepper grinders 4 has a grinding assembly 42 having aninner grinding part and an outer grinding part turnable relative to eachother to grind pepper in between. The inner grinding part of thegrinding assembly 42 is fixedly housed in an upper housing member 41,and the outer grinding part of the grinding assembly 42 is fixedlyhoused in a lower housing member 43 such that a user can turn the upperhousing member 41 relative to the lower housing member 43 to grindpepper between the inner grinding part and the outer grinding part; thelower housing member 43 has a bottom opening 431 for small pieces ofground pepper to be dispensed therefrom.

[0003] Because the grinding parts of the grinding assembly 42 areattached to the housing members 41 and 43 by means of hot melt adhesive,the pepper grinder is found to have disadvantages as follows:

[0004] 1. When the hot melt adhesive is not applied to the joint betweenthe grinding assembly and the housing members enough, the grindingassembly can't be secured to the housing members. When the hot meltadhesive is applied to the joint too much, same will form hairy edge onthe housing members, and consequently, the housing members can't turnrelative to each other smoothly.

[0005] 2. The grinding assembly is likely to loosen on the housingmembers after long time of use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention toprovide a pepper grinder which has a grinding assembly capable of beingeasily and securely housed in the housing members.

[0007] The pepper grinder has a grinding assembly including an outergrinding member and an inner grinding member; the grinding members haveopposing grinding teeth such that pepper can be ground in between whenone turns relative to the other.

[0008] The outer grinding member is secured in a lower housing member bymeans of a lower securing ring; the lower securing ring has saw teethprojecting upwards, and the saw teeth are inserted into an inner side ofthe lower housing member from pointed ends. The lower securing ring isalso connected to the outer grinding member such that the latter can'tmove relative to the lower housing member.

[0009] The inner grinding member is connected to a locating member,which is also secured to an upper housing member by means of a securingring of the kind such that the grinding member can't turn relative tothe upper housing member. Therefore, when the upper housing member isturned relative to the lower housing member, the inner grinding membercan turn relative to the outer grinding member to grind pepper inbetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] This invention will be better understood by referring to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

[0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the pepper grinder ofthe present invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pepper grinder of thepresent invention.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the pepper grinderof the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a view showing the pepper grinder of the presentinvention under use.

[0015]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the conventionalpepper grinder in the Background.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a pepper grinder of the present inventionhas a lower housing member 1, a grinding assembly 2 and an upper housingmember 3.

[0017] The lower housing member 1 has an annular locating protrusion 11on an inner side, and an opening 12 on a bottom. Both the lower and theupper housing members 1 and 3 can be made of wood, plastic or metal.

[0018] The grinding assembly 2 has a locating member 21, an outergrinding member 22, an inner grinding member 23, an adjustment knob 24,an upper securing ring 25 and a lower securing ring 26.

[0019] The outer grinding member 22 is disposed in the lower housingmember 1 with a bottom supported by the annular locating protrusion 11of the lower housing member 1. The outer grinding member 22 has severalconnecting protrusions 223 on an outer side, and a toothed element 221disposed therein; the toothed element 221 has grinding teeth 222 on aninner side.

[0020] The lower securing ring 26 has saw teeth 262 spaced apart, and atleast slightly bent outwardly from an upper edge. The lower securingring 26 further has several gaps 261 on an inner side. The lowersecuring ring 26 is pressed into the lower housing member 1 with thegaps 261 connecting the connecting protrusions 223 of the outer grindingmember 22; the saw teeth 262 being inserted into the inner side of thelower housing member 1 from the pointed ends to present the lowersecuring ring 26 from moving relative to the lower housing member 1.Thus, the outer grinding member 22 is secured to the lower housingmember 1.

[0021] The locating member 21 has several gaps 213 on an outer side, anda connecting rod 211 projecting from a center of the bottom. Thelocating member 21 is disposed in the upper housing member 3, andconfined by an annular locating protrusion (not numbered) of the innerside of the upper housing member 3.

[0022] The upper securing ring 25 has saw teeth 252 spaced apart, andslightly bent outwardly from a lower edge. The upper securing ring 25further has connecting protrusions 251 on an inner side. The uppersecuring ring 25 is pressed into the upper housing member 3 with theconnecting protrusions 251 fitted onto the gaps 213 of the locatingmember 21; the saw teeth 252 being inserted into the inner side of theupper housing member 3 from the pointed ends to prevent the uppersecuring ring 25 from moving relative to the upper housing member 3.Thus, the locating member 21 is secured to the upper housing member 3.

[0023] The inner grinding member 23 has grinding teeth 231 on an outerside, and is connected to the connecting rod 211 of the locating member21, an elastic member 212 biasing same downwards, and turnably receivedin the toothed element 221. The adjustment knob 24 is disposed on thebottom of the inner grinding member 23, and connected to a lowerthreaded end portion of the connecting rod 211 of the locating member 21in order to secure the inner grinding member 23 to the locating member21; the adjustment knob 24 can be turned to adjust a position of theinner grinding member 23 relative to the outer grinding member 22.

[0024] Thus, the inner grinding member 23 can turn relative to the outergrinding member 22 to grind pepper between the grinding teeth 222 and231 into small pieces when the user turns tie upper housing member 3relative to the lower housing member 1. Ground pepper particulates aredispensed through the opening 12 of the lower housing member 1.

[0025] The upper housing member 3 has an annular locating protrusion 31formed in a lower position of the upper housing member 3. The upperhousing member 3 further has a cover 32 for an upper opening wherepepper is put into the pepper grinder. Referring to FIG. 2, the cover 32has securing protrusions 321 opposing the inner side of the upperhousing member 3 when same is coupled to the housing member 3; thus, thecover 32 can be coupled to the housing member 3 more firmly.

[0026] From the above description, the pepper grinder of the presentinvention can be known to have desirable features as follows:

[0027] 1. The locating member 21 and the outer grinding member 22 can besecurely and easily fixed to the housing member 3 and 1 respectively bymeans of the upper and lower securing rings 25 and 26.

[0028] 2. The securing rings 25 and 26 are connected to the locatingmember 21 and the outer grinding member 22 by means of fitting theconnecting protrusions 251 and 223 onto the gaps 213 and 261 so thelocating member 21 and the outer grinding member 22 can't loosen on thesecuring rings 25 and 26 even after long time of use.

[0029] 3. The cover 32 can be relatively firmly coupled to the upperhousing member 3 because of the securing protrusions 321, i.e. same isprotected from accidentally falling off the pepper grinder.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pepper grinder, comprising a grinding assemblyincluding an outer grinding member, and an inner grinding member; saidouter grinding member being secured in a lower housing member with alower securing ring connected thereto inserted into an inner side ofsaid lower housing member from pointed ends of saw teeth of said ringprojecting from an upper edge of said ring; said inner grinding memberbeing turnally disposed in said outer grinding member with grindingteeth thereof opposing grinding teeth of said outer grinding member,said inner grinding member being connected to a locating member securedin an upper housing member by means of an upper securing ring connectedthereto inserted into an inner side of said upper housing member frompointed ends of saw teeth of said upper securing ring projecting from alower edge of said upper securing ring; whereby said inner grindingmember being capable of turning relative to said outer grinding memberto grind pepper between said grinding teeth of both when said upperhousing member is turned relative to said lower housing member.
 2. Thepepper grinding as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper securing ringhas connecting protrusions thereon fitted onto gaps of said locatingmember in order to connect said locating member; and said lower securingring has gaps thereon receiving connecting protrusions of said outergrinding member in order to connect said outer grinding member.
 3. Thepepper grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper housing memberhas a cover separably coupled to an upper opening thereof, said coverhaving securing protrusions opposing an inner side of said upper housingmember when said cover is coupled to said upper housing member.
 4. Thepepper grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing members aremade of one of materials including wood, plastics and metal.
 5. Thepepper grinder an claimed in claim 1, wherein said saw teeth of saidsecuring rings are at least slightly bent outwardly of said edge of saidsecuring rings.